Definitions.

Unless you're living in it, "poverty" probably isn't something you think about very often. Often we develop blinders so we don't have to see what's going on in the world, or even in our own neighborhoods. We trust others- the government, our churches, local charities- to take care of the problem. Maybe we help out a few times a year, by giving to a food pantry or donating school supplies. We scan news stories about poverty in America and in other countries with detachment, and walk away from this information without being changed, without a sense of urgency, without the desire to do something about it. I want that to change. So I'm going to tell you some things about poverty.

We have things pretty good here in the United States. Let me preface my statements by saying that I am in no way putting down the poor in the US. I just need you to know how things are out in the rest of the world. And I want to dispel the idea that we should take care of things at home before helping others in other countries. We should be doing both.

Poverty in the United States means a lot of things. Sometimes it means living in government housing, or adult children moving back home with their parents. In Honduras, poverty means living in a one room "house" made out of cinderblocks and a tarp. In America, poverty sometimes means sending your kids to a school that's not so great. Overcrowded public schools with less-than-great teachers are common. In Uganda, poverty means telling your fourth grade daughter that she can no longer go to school because she has to stay home and work to help support her family. In America, sometimes poverty means kids getting a free or reduced lunch at school. If they're lucky, they go to a school that also offers breakfast. In some parts of Africa and central America, poverty means eating dirt to help stave off hunger. Dirt. Dirt mixed with a little oil and baked into cakes. In America, poverty sometimes means receiving government assistance to help take care of your kids. In Haiti, poverty means moms and dads making the devastating decision to give up their children and have them placed for adoption because they are too poor to care for them. In America, poverty sometimes means having a minimum wage job where you can't get ahead. Sometimes it means unemployment checks. In India, poverty means growing up in a brothel because your mom is forced to prostitute herself in order to make any money at all.

How did the world get this way? There are a lot of reasons. Part of it has to do with the decisions others make. Part of it has to do with governments and the way things are run. Part of it has to do with population growth- sometimes economies simply can't keep up with the number of people living in an area, such as in Kenya's case. And where there's poverty, there is sickness, desperation, and violence. Part of it has to do with cultural ideas. Part of it has to do with health and wellness. Actually, those issues go hand in hand. If you don't have any money, maybe you don't have access to clean water. Then you'll have to deal with the illnesses that come from dirty water. And poverty means not being able to afford the disturbingly inexpensive medications to treat these diseases.

But "poverty" doesn't mean "inescapable", or "unavoidable", or "hopeless." We can change the world, and we don't have to be billionaires or politicians to do it. We mustn't give up. There are so many ways, little ways that have big impact, that we can shake things up. I think the first way is to stop desensitizing ourselves to what's going on in the world. If you see an article or hear a news story about poverty, pay attention. We aren't going to change- or want to change- if we don't open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts. The next step is to change the way we use our own money. We need to stop giving money to companies that take advantage of their employees by paying them unfair wages and keeping them in unsafe conditions. We should also start supporting companies that do more to lift people out of poverty, like the ApParent Project or FreeSet. Christmas is coming up in a few months. This is an excellent time to use your purchasing power for good, help others, and spread the word about organizations like these. A cute headband can provide three meals for a child in Uganda. A bracelet can provide income for a mom who just wants to keep her kids. A beautiful tote can mean a paycheck for a woman rescued from forced prostitution.

One of the most personally fulfilling ways to change the world is through child sponsorship. With sponsorship, you know the name of the life that is being changed. You have a relationship with the human being behind that name. Your words provide encouragement, love, and a sense of value. Your financial commitment makes it possible for kids to get more education, have access to healthcare, learn how to take care of themselves, develop skills and trades, and so much more. And it's not just the kids who are changed. Their families benefit, too. And when the kids get older, they take the skills they learned and the hope they gained and they have a real fighting chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. Then their kids, and grandkids, and great-grandkids benefit. And the world is changed. Don't believe me? Check out this independent study by a guy with way more education and credentials than I have. It works. It really does. And you can be a part of it. What's holding you back? If you're concerned about a long-term financial commitment, choose an older child who doesn't have much time left in the program- send them off into the world with a strong footing. Don't really want to write letters? Ask Compassion to find a correspondence sponsor for your child. Don't think you have enough money to sponsor? Take a look at your finances- a good hard look- and think about the ways you spend your money. My husband and I are saddled with a disturbing amount of student loan debt, medical bills, and a mortgage. I only work part-time and Brandon works his butt off to make what he does. We are not rich by any American standards. But we've made this part of our lives a priority, and we financially sponsor two kids. Hopefully as we pay off our loans and ditch the medical bills we will be able to take on more sponsorships. For almost all of us, finding $38 in our budgets is not as big of a struggle as we first think. $38 is a trip to the movie theater for a family of four- with one small popcorn to share. It's six drinks at Starbucks. It's that purse you saw on sale that you just had to have. It's a season of a TV show on DVD. It's date night at Olive Garden. It's doable. And it's world-changing.

These kids are waiting for sponsors. They all have special needs- a physical or developmental challenge. Will you be the one to change their world?

Sakinatou is 7 years old. She lives in Burkina Faso. She is visually impaired. 

Baraka is 10 years old. He lives in Tanzania. He is crippled in one hand. 

Karen is 10 years old. She lives in Honduras. She is deaf in one ear. 

Pranto is 11 years old. He lives in Bangladesh. He is crippled in both legs. 

Mary Grace is 17 years old. She lives in the Philippines. She has impaired speech. 

Giveaway!!!

I'm doing a fundraising push right now as things have slowed down recently and I need to book my domestic flights soon (I've been shopping around and there aren't many seats left at a great price and for the time of day I need them.) So....we're doing a giveaway! Yay!

Every donation made to my fundraiser between now and September 15th will count as a prize drawing entry. Donations over $20 will count as three entries. And you can't cheat and donate a dollar several times. I don't know why anyone would do that, but we live in a strange world. Your donations will be totaled up if you do that, and still only count as one (or three.)

I'm giving away a copy of Beverly Lewis' new book, The Secret Keeper. The book just came out on the 3rd of this month. And it's AUTOGRAPHED. Beverly Lewis has a lot of fans out there (I know because they all come to my library), so I'm hoping this will be a success! : ) Please share this blog entry with your friends who may be interested in the book. If you don't want to win the book yourself, maybe you have a friend or a relative who's a fan of her books?

Anyway. Donations may be made one of three ways.

1.) By my fundraising page, here or by clicking that widget in the upper right hand corner of the page.

2.) In person (if you know me and live in my area.)

3.) By mail (cash or check, email me at craftycompassion(at)gmail.com for info.)

I will choose a winner at random around 9 pm the 15th, and will announce the winner here and on facebook.

You might get tired of me talking about Africa.

I am in a pretty good mood today, despite some pain I'm having with my hip/back (it's the crazy weather!) I am just so excited about this Tanzania trip. I hope you're excited with me. : )

Of course I am still waiting to get my info packet in the mail from Compassion, but I thought we could go ahead and start talking about the trip by discussing the basic itinerary from Compassion's website! I will be utilizing the wonders of Google images for this, as well.

So here's how the trip will go down!

March 8 and 9: I will be traveling to JFK airport- by myself! I've only flown a handful of times before, and definitely never by myself. I've also never been to New York! Hopefully I'll have enough time to find some tacky magnets at a souvenir shop to add to my collection. : ) It will definitely be interesting handling all my luggage myself, getting to the right terminal, and everything else. My uncle works for Delta (in another state), so hopefully I will be able to get a Delta flight and he can keep tabs on me and help me out if I need it (which he did when Brandon and I were coming back from our honeymoon and they tried to stick us on separate planes!)

JFK airport

Then I'll be meeting up with the rest of the folks going on the trip. We will be departing from New York and heading to AMSTERDAM for a layover! So not only will I have a brand new passport, but I will actually have stamps from TWO different countries on it! This is kind of fascinating to me. Keep in mind- I never travel anywhere! Compassion says that we will have a few hours in Amsterdam, enough time for "tea, shopping, walking, or relaxing." Maybe there are tacky Amsterdam magnets at the airport? Perhaps in the shape of windmills? It's my understanding that we'll be here in the middle of the night, basically, and then catching a mid-morning flight to Tanzania!

Not the airport, but still. I want a tiny pair of wooden shoes!

Our flight will land in Kilimanjaro Airport. Wow. Kilimanjaro. I can't wait to see it. I will probably cry. Also, I know this will sound weird, but as soon as we have access to actual African turf, I fully intend on taking off my shoes to step on the ground. I love Africa. Love it. If I wasn't married, I think I would be living there running an orphanage. I can't wait. And I will probably take a picture of my feet on the African dirt. : ) We'll meet up with Compassion Tanzania's staff and head to our hotel. 

Here's an informational video from our hotel!

March 10: We'll be spending some time checking out the Singida region of Tanzania, which has been a place of expansion for Compassion in recent years. There is a tremendous need for Compassion in this area, hence their expansion. We'll visit a nearby child development center and learn about Compassion's complimentary interventions (that's the help Compassion provides outside the sponsorship program- like if a child needs surgery or something like that.) The best way to explain this aspect of Compassion's ministry is that it's basically grants given to the churches Compassion partners with, for health and education and things like that. We'll be interacting with the staff because the kids only attend the centers on Saturdays. 

March 11: This will be an exciting day- we'll get to check out Compassion's child survival program in Tanzania! The child survival program helps babies and mothers- it's kind of like the precursor to the child sponsorship program. Not only will we get to see the cute little babies (I want to bring one home) but we'll also learn how the help Compassion provides to the moms, like literacy training, is impacting their lives!

March 12 through 15: We'll be learning about what makes the Singida region one of the poorest and most struggling areas in the country and how we can help bring solutions to those problems. We'll also be putting together a Vacation Bible School-style program to encourage not only the kids we meet, but the staff and adults as well. We'll be meeting hundreds of kids who attend CDCs in this area, and we'll also be visiting some homes of the kids who attend Compassion's programs. 

March 15 and 16: This is the cultural part of the trip (I love the fact that Compassion always has a significant cultural experience on their tours!) This is possibly the most exciting cultural experience one could imagine- at least, an animal lover like me. We'll be going on SAFARI! Ack! I want to shout about it. We'll travel to Maramboi Tented Camp in Tarangire National Park to spend the night, and then going on safari. Animals! In the wild! Some things this park is famous for: its "huge number of elephants" (oh my goodness) and tree-climbing lions. They also have giraffes, waterbucks, zebra, wildebeest, impala, gazelle, and eland. Plus gerenuks. I love those guys. They are ridiculous. There are also 550 species of birds there, including hornbills (like Zazu in The Lion King!), lovebirds, ostriches, and who knows what else. Then we'll head back to Arusha, where the hotel is, and meet some of the incredible young people in Compassion's Leadership Development Program. 

A view from one of the bungalow-type thingies at the tented lodge

This is a gerenuk. 

March 17: This is the day we have all been waiting for. This is FUN DAY with our kids!!!!! They will be coming to the hotel we're staying at and hanging out with us. I bet we'll get to eat together, too! That will be fun. I look forward to spending time with Said!!!

An aerial view of our hotel. 

March 18: We'll have a tour of the Compassion Tanzania office, having devotionals with the staff and checking out the facilities there. We'll have time later in the day for shopping at the local market before going back to the hotel to pack up. Then we'll head back to the airport and fly home. We'll be getting back on the 19th. 

I am so excited about this trip. I know I've already said that, but still. It's amazing. So many dreams will be fulfilled through it: my desire to visit Africa, specifically Tanzania, where my hero Jane Goodall studied in the 1960s; seeing Kilimanjaro and the beautiful landscapes and the incredible animals of the country; visiting child development centers and spending time with the kids Compassion helps; and seeing Said, who is always telling me to "welcome to Tanzania." I am so blessed to have this opportunity. I can't wait. : ) 

Look what I did last night.

I got my code for the advocate discount yesterday evening, and as soon as I got home from work, I finished filling out my registration! : )

I also got my background check info filled out, and signed my release form. I can't wait to get my info packet in the mail!

I also got some good news about fundraising, too- I got the OK from a restaurant nearby to have a "spirit night" type fundraiser, where folks who dine there on a specific day and present a flyer with my info on it will automatically be donating 10% of their bill to my trip!

All in all, last night was pretty good. : )

Real love.

I'm participating in blog month for Compassion, and we got our first assignment this morning. We've been asked to write what words of wisdom and encouragement we would share with our childhood selves.

I don't know that they could have started out with a more difficult assignment, honestly.

I don't know what I would tell my childhood self, if I had the chance. Anything I could tell Little Me would not change my circumstances. And  my circumstances were difficult. I most definitely don't want to turn this post into a pity party for myself, but I have to tell you, since we're on the subject- my childhood was not fun.

I definitely could have had it a lot worse, and I know that. I did not live in an abusive household. I was not homeless. I didn't have cancer or some other life-threatening disease. And my parents didn't split up.

But I was unpopular, from kindergarten all the way through high school, pretty much (though at the end there I did have a few friends.) I was bullied at multiple schools. My family didn't have much money. I didn't go hungry, but most of my clothes were hand-me-downs from my mom (shoes from my cousin, since I couldn't wear her clothes) or school uniforms. I'm pretty sure I went a few years without even owning a pair of jeans. I didn't feel pressure to own popular clothing brands, but I know I definitely got made fun of for the old clothes I did own.

I got picked on a lot. And I was afraid a lot. My anxiety disorder didn't get diagnosed until right before I was in 5th grade. And a diagnosis didn't mean an end to my issues- it just meant we knew what they were called. They still set me apart and still made me miserable at times. And I didn't ever really feel close to anyone. I have already said on this blog that while my mom and I are really close now and very good friends, we did not get along very well when I still lived in my parents' house. We fought a lot. Part of it came from being in close proximity (we have very similar personalities), and part of it was just immaturity on my part. But I went a long, long time without a confidante, someone to share with. I probably had people who were willing to pray for me, but I didn't know how to ask.

I can't say that my childhood self would believe this message, but if I had the opportunity, I guess I would tell Little Me this: you have worth. You have value. You are loved. Life may be hard sometimes, but you're still alive, and it's ok.

I guess the moral of the story is this: my experiences and circumstances growing up have made me who I am today, and I turned out ok. They also made me very empathetic to some of the problems our sponsor kids face. While I did not live in the same kind of poverty they did, poverty makes you feel worthless and discouraged. Our kids value our letters because it's so important to them to know that someone cares, and is listening, and is praying for them. That someone half a world away loves them. And it's real love; how else can you love someone you've never met, if it's not genuine?

Below you will see some pictures of kids who have been waiting a very long time for sponsors- over a year. Will you be the one to encourage them, to love them, to show them they have worth and value?

Himanshu is 7 years old. He lives in India. 

Inda is 7 years old. She lives in Indonesia. 

Anderson is 5 years old. He lives in the Dominican Republic. 

Ivy is 8 years old. She lives in Ghana. 

Bags o' fun

I still can't make any announcements on my prospective Compassion tour (still waiting to get a few ducks in a row), but I do have something else fun to talk about.

My mother in law is going to India this fall for work. She has gone to the Philippines before and was hoping to go again, but she is going to India instead. And I'm happy about that! I love India, and my mom and I are going to get carryout from our favorite Indian restaurant and have dinner with her before she goes. I can't wait to see her pictures and souvenirs from her visit!

Possibly the best part about all this is that she has agreed to take gifts for our Compassion kids! She will be traveling with a bag for my Jayid, my mom's girl Amisha, and our friend Blaire's girl Nisha. Amisha probably has the best relationship with my mom out of all her sponsor kids, and Nisha is very precious to Blaire, as well. So we are all very excited.

We are keeping our eyes peeled for mini backpacks or totes of appropriate size, but for now, the gifts are going in a plastic gallon-sized bag for each of our kids. They don't take long to fill up! For all I know, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to send gifts to Jayid. I hope that some day I am able to send (or bring!) gifts to each of my kids. I have some special things in mind for each of them. Like Mary- Mary loves to sing, so I would bring her sheet music and music-themed stuff. Said would get art supplies because I don't think I've ever received a letter from him that didn't have at least one drawing on it. And Brenda would get a dolly and fruit loops, because she's little and likes fruit loops. : )

My bag for Jayid is almost full- I have room for just a few more things (some soap and a little photo album with pictures of where I live and my family and stuff.) Here's what else I have packed for him:

*Mechanical pencils (no sharpeners to worry about!)
*A pack of crayons
*A tiny coloring book
*Two Hotwheels cars
*A mini Magna-Doodle (it takes up the most space, but it's really cool.)
*A blue washcloth
*A Transformers toothbrush (I looked for superheroes, because he likes them, but the only superhero ones they had in stock were battery operated.)
*Cavity-fighting kids' toothpaste
*Werther's hard candies to share with his family
*Trolli crawlers (those neon sour gummy worms!) for my boy!

I am also going to include a letter for the field office staff telling them how much I appreciate them and the work they do. Jayid's package will be going to the EI field office, while Amisha and Shima's bags will be going to IN. I told my mom and Blaire it would be cool if they wrote notes for the staff there, too.

I don't know what all Blaire is packing for Shima, but my mom got some cool stuff for Amisha! Two things in particular stand out. She got a pretty pink headband that benefits Amazima Ministries (each headband buys three meals for kids in Uganda.) I have several of these headbands and really like them! You can buy them at Lifeway or online. Lifeway has also started carrying these pretty beaded bracelets made by women in Nepal. I definitely want one! Actually, the one I wanted is going in Amisha's bag! : ) Hopefully they will get more in stock!

Have you ever been able to send gifts to your kids? What kind of stuff did you send? What would you like to send to your child, if you could?

September Letter Writing Topics

Don't forget to write to your sponsor kids at least once this month! Here are some ideas to get you started!

1. Local holidays. There are plenty of big holidays in Compassion countries this month. Brazil's independence day and Mexico's independence day are both in September. Check out your local library or an online encyclopedia to see what's happening in your child's country this month. 
2. Teachers. Teacher's Day in India is this month. Even if you don't sponsor a child in India, it would still be fun to write about teachers! Ask your child what her teacher's name is. Ask him what his favorite thing about his teacher is. Tell her that you'll be praying for her teacher. Explain to your child how teachers are honored in the United States (for example, bringing them small gifts in the springtime, or the traditional gift of an apple.) Who was your favorite teacher in school? Why were they your favorite? What are some important lessons you learned from your teachers that had nothing to do with academics? For example, one of my high school English teachers was a very kind man who, through his gentleness and good-nature, got respect from all the students without ever having to raise his voice. We didn't want to disappoint him, so we all behaved. I also had another English teacher who was a very good friend to me, and I came back to visit her several times after I graduated, before she moved to another state. When I was upset or stressed about something, I would often go to her classroom, even if I didn't have her classes anymore. Remind your child that teachers work very hard, and it's important to show respect and be grateful for all that they do. 
3. Cousins. My little cousin Deborah is not so little anymore. This month she will turn 15- which makes me feel extremely old. She lives in Georgia. I remember the night of her due date, I was spending the night at a friend's house (I was still in elementary school, maybe 5th grade) and I kept calling my mom to see if she had heard anything about the baby yet. She was born three days later! When she was a few months old, my grandparents and I took a trip to Georgia for a week to visit her and her parents. I had the best time! I have always enjoyed spending time with Deborah, even though I don't get to see her very often anymore. She has grown into a beautiful young lady who has a heart of gold, loves to play soccer, and loves Star Wars (which is awesome.) I'm glad that I grew up so close to my cousins. In many other cultures, cousins are as close as immediate family- cousins are often called "brother" or "sister." This may very well be the case where your sponsor child lives. Ask your sponsor child if he or she has any cousins. What are their names? Do they get to play together? Do they get to spend a lot of time together? Were you raised close to your cousins, if you have any? What did you like to do when you were your sponsor child's age? I spent a lot of time with my cousin Melissa when I was growing up, and have sent pictures of us when we were little to my sponsor kids. Our kids love learning about our families!
4. Harvest. Now that the weather is getting cooler and the year is coming to a close, harvest time is coming. This is the first year that my family has had a proper garden, and I am looking forward to writing about its successes to our sponsor kids. Ask your sponsor child if her family grows any fruits or vegetables. Many of my kids have written to me and described the foods that their families grow, often saying that they grow their own food and take the rest to sell in the market. Said visits his grandmother in Kilosa every year to help her bring in the crops and get things ready for the next planting season. Even if you don't have a  garden of your own, you could still write about nature's bounty, telling your child about your favorite fruits and vegetables, and telling him that it's important to eat healthy foods like these, so he can grow up healthy and strong. In the past, I have even sent fun stickers of fruits and veggies to some of my younger kids, and I write down the names of the produce in English next to the pictures. You can print out coloring pages to send, too. Be sure to mention how thankful you are to God, who planted the original garden in Eden, for the food that comes from the earth.
5. Autumn. Many of our sponsor kids live in areas that don't have the same seasons that we do. The first day of autumn is September 22, and this would be a great time to write to your child about the change in seasons. One of the best things about this season, of course, is the way the trees change colors. Send some photos of the stunningly beautiful orange, red, and yellow trees that are found around the US this time of year. You can find coloring pages on autumn, and I have a ton of fall leaf stickers- some with little happy faces on them! I have never tried to send pressed flowers or the like to my sponsor kids before, but I have thought about laminating a pretty fall leaf (or covering it on both sides with clear tape) and sticking it on some construction paper to send. There are also tons of fall-themed crafts you can find online, which can be especially fun if you yourself have kids. You can do leaf rubbings with crayons or fall leaf pictures with paper, like this one.